The Biden administration says it’s in no rush and there’s not even an actual timeline for FDA approval to allow states including Colorado to import cheaper drugs from Canada.
So that pretty much puts the kabash on Jared Polis’s campaign promise back in September 2019 that if elected governor, he would guarantee cheaper meds from Canada for all Coloradans.
PeakNation™ will recall we predicted Polis was campaigning on a promise he couldn’t keep.
The Denver Post was a little more optimistic Polis could pull it off, but noted he didn’t have an actual plan:
FRISCO — Democrat Jared Polis pledged Monday to strengthen health care consumer protections, create a system to import prescription drugs from Canada and reform the state’s health insurance zones as part of his first 100 days if elected governor.
Polis’ announcement didn’t specifically address moving the state toward such a system — or how he would pay for it. Instead, the campaign framed Monday’s announcement as steps the state should take in the short-term while working toward the “ultimate goal” of a single-payer system.
We’re not saying we told you so, but it’s been more than 100 days since Polis was sworn into office.
Ironically, the effort by Colorado and five other states including Florida was approved under President Trump, we were just waiting on the FDA.
Now Biden and his people are suddenly not anxious to see it through.
The Biden administration said states still have several hurdles to get through, including a review by the Food and Drug Administration, and such efforts may face pressures from the Canadian government, which has warned its drug industry not to do anything that could cause drug shortages in that country.
That announcement came in response to Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who last week called on the Biden administration to approve the Canadian prescription drug importation program.
DeSantis, by the way, is touted as a leading Republican challenger for the 2024 presidential campaign.
Are Biden and his Democrat minions really so politically mean spirited they would deny Americans access to cheaper Canadian drugs just to spite a Republican governor and a potential presidential challenger?
Sure looks that way.
Too bad Polis doesn’t have any actual clout with the White House to see his promise through. Even if it comes several years past his self-imposed deadline.